Midnight Madness for Madden in Manhattan

It was no iPhone line, but 40 or so fans of the Madden video game franchise lined the sidewalk outside Game Stop in Herald Square on Thursday, awaiting the annual midnight release of the latest Madden game.

From 10-year-old boys to 43-year-old doctors to gift-giving girlfriends, each future Madden 10 owner had a rationale for braving the cool summer night, be it a sentimental tie to the game or a competitive edge.

“I’ve been playing since Madden was on the Atari from CBS Sports before EA even had it, back in 1989,” said Matt Lurin, a 43-year-old emergency room doctor who has already joined an online league. “I’m kinda sentimental to the one on the Sega Genesis. I remember spending a lot of time with my friends back in med school. We played it...